|
|
MORE:
Dimensions and Extensions
Artist: Sam Rivers
Album Title: Dimensions and Extensions
Date of Release: Mar 17, 1967 (approx.)
Cecil McBee - Bass
Julian Priester - Trombone
Sam Rivers - Flute, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
James Spaulding - Flute, Sax (Alto)
Donald Byrd - Trumpet
Steve Ellington - Drums
Ambitious, atonal, challenging -- all are accurate descriptions of Dimensions and
Extensions, Sam Rivers' fourth album for Blue Note. Rivers remains grounded in hard bop
structure, working with a sextet featuring Donald Byrd (trumpet), James Spaulding (alto
saxophone, flute), Julian Priester (trombone), Cecil McBee (bass) and Steve Ellington
(drums), but he explodes the boundaries of the form with difficult, dissonant compositions.
With his unique, mercurial tone and edgy solos, he keeps pushing the sextet in different
directions. It's intense, cerebral music, but since it has distinct themes and strong
rhythms, the forays into free jazz, dissonant harmonies and unpredictable tonal textures
are actually quite accessible. Rivers simply burns on each track, whether playing tenor,
soprano or flute. Byrd doesn't display the wild imagination of Rivers, yet he keeps the
pace with alternately languid and biting solos. Similarly, the remaining musicians each
make a lasting impression with their individual time in the spotlight. With music as risky
at this, it's forgivable that it occasionally meanders (especially on the slower numbers),
but overall, Dimensions and Extensions offers more proof that Sam Rivers was one of the
early giants of the avant-garde.
-- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
|
|
